Can single moms really “fall in love”?

Being a single mom changes everything – including how we fall in love and what it feels like.

The hardest part is trying to get our heads around the fact that we probably won’t feel that “young, gushy love” again…or will we? I just can’t imagine ever falling hard again – like I did in my single childless years.

I just read another single mom’s blog entry that blew my mind – she’s got it nailed…

“How sad of a romantic reality, it is, that is thrust upon single moms. From the beginning of ‘being single’, we daydream and romanticize about being back in a loving, romantic wistful relationship, and how great someone is going to be when we fall in love again, and they with us and our little one(s). And for some of us it does happen, and we are lucky. And in the beginning of our new budding romances, it almost is just like it was before, almost. But there is a difference, a huge difference. We have responsibilities. Things that must be done and taken care of before we can even start to think about our own life, much less our romantic life.”

Falling in love now is different. We do have our minds on so many other responsibilities…so many in fact, that we may not have time to really ask ourselves this question

“Am I really in love with him?”

So how can we tell? My theory is this: being in love will never be the same but that only means we get to fall in love for the first time again – this time as single mothers. It will feel different but it can still be just as amazing, if not more amazing than it ever has been before.

Since becoming a single dating mother I often find myself wondering if I’m really in love with someone. And it’s never clear. Perhaps because I have yet to really be in love as a single mom. Or have I? And is it just a different feeling now? With my mind on my son, my job and my own life it’s hard to gauge whether or not it’s really love, lust or just fun.

Dating as a single mom is not like riding a bike – you can’t just jump back on – now there’s a baby basket in the front seat and it’s partially blocking your view.

Share your experiences as a single mom “in love.”

Is it really love? Does it feel different? How can you tell if it’s really love when you have so many other things on your plate?